Machine for rolling sheet metal shapes



Sept. 5, 1933. RAFTER 1,925,542

MACHINE FOR ROLLING SHEET METAL SHAPES Filed May 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l NV TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Sept. 5, 1933.

A. RAFTER 1,925,542

MACHINE FOR ROLLING SHEET METAL SHAPES Filed May 14, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY.

. Patented Sept. 5, 1933 PATENT orrlcsp MACHINE FOB. ROLLING SHEET METAL snares Albert Rafter, Belleviile, N. 3., assignor to Rafter Machine Company, Belleville, N. .l., a partner ship composed of Albert Rafter and John C.

Rafter, Jr.

Application May 14, 1932. Serial No. 611,375 Claims. (o1.1f53 2s This invention relates to metal forming machines, and more particularly to machines of the type in which sheets of metal are formed into various shapes by passing the sheet between a 5 plurality of die rolls.

A machine of the type to which this invention applies is described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,792,122 issued to me on February 10, 1931. The die rolls are mounted on parallel spindles which are driven by a train of gears. Heretofore, the gear connected with the lower spindle has been used as the driving gear, the upper spindle being connected to the lower drive gear by means of a train of intermediate gearing. It is frequently necessary to raise or lower the upper spindle in order to accommodate various thicknesses of metal, and die rolls of different shapes, the adjustment for the is rolls often requiringmoving the upper spindle several inches. However, the

method of adjustment heretofore used isobjectionable in that there is alimit to the amount the upper spindle may be raised without causing an unmeshing of the gears. Also, partial meshing of the gearing places distorting strains upon the gearing and spindles. When the sizes of the die rolls require the upper spindle to be raised to an extent to disengage the gears, it has been heretofore necessary to change the gearing. Obviously, the changing of the gearing is expensive 0 and inconvenient, especially since there are usually upwards of ten pairs of die rolls to be adjusted, and not infrequently there are as many as thirty pairs of die rolls on a machine. The change of the gearing of a number of the upper spindles therefore requires considerable time and expense.

It is an object of this invention to provide a gearing arrangement for a metal forming machine in which power is applied to a pinion, which pinion in turn directly drives the gear on the lower spindle, and indirectly drivesthe gear on the upper spindle through an intermediate gear mounted on a shaft parallel to the spindles, the shaft and the upper spindle being adjustable to enable the upper spindle to be raised or lowered without affecting the meshing of the gears.

A further object is the provision of means for driving die roll spindles of machines of the type described which enables a wide adjustment of the die roll spindles to accommodate die rolls of different sizes, the adjustment being made without changing any of the elements of the driving means or causing distortional stresses thereon.

A further object is the provision in a metal forming machine of a gear arrangement for driving upper and lower die roll carrying spindles, the arrangement being such that the forces acting on each gear are balanced so that there is no tendency at any time to cause disengagement of j the gears.

A further object is the provision of a gear arrangement for a metal forming machine having a driving pinion, the arrangement being such as to constantly urgethe pinion into engagement with gears associated therewith, so that the forces actin on the pinion arebalanced, that is, equal and in opposite directions.

These and other advantageous objects, which will later appear, are accomplished by the simple and practical construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and exhibited in the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a die roll unit of a metal forming machine,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a die roll unit, 7

Fig. 3 shows the arrangement of gearing asso ciated with the die roll unit, and

Fig. 4 shows the position of the gears after an adjustment of the upper spindle.

Referring to the drawings, the die roll unit is shown to comprise an upper spindle 5 and a lower spindle 6, upon which are respectively mounted die rolls '7 and 3, the spindles 5 and 6 being at all times parallel and in the same vertical plane. The spindles 5 and 6 are journalled respectively in bushings 30, 31; the bushing 30 being adjust-' able verticallyby means of a screw' and nut arrangement 32 as described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,792,122 and well known to persons skilled in the art. Fixed to the lower spindle 6 is a gear 9 which is driven by a pinion 10, which also drives an intermediate gear 11, the latter being in engagement with a gear 12 fixed to the upper spindle 5. The intermediate gear is mounted on a shaft 13 which may be adjusted to various positions at all times parallel to spindle 5, the latter being adjustable so that it can be raised or lowered, but at all times being in the same vertical plane with spindle 6. The pinion 10 is mounted on a shaft 14 which is not adjustable, so that the position of pinion 10 remains unchangedregardless of the adjustments of gears 11 and 12. Shaft 13 and spindle'5 are connected by a link 15 so that the distance therebetween is constant. Similarly, a link 16 is pivotally connected to shafts 13 and I l to maintain the distance between the shafts constant.

When the spindle 5 is raised, link 15 rotates counter-clockwise, while link 18 moves clockwise, and the positive meshing of the gears is maintained. It will be seen that a wide range of adjustment is obtainable as the upper spindle may be raised a considerable amount to accommodate thick sheets of metal and die rolls of various shapes without in any way affecting the meshing of the gears, or requiring changing of the gears.

It will also be noted that resistance of gear 9 on the pinion 1c tends to cause disengagement of gear 9 and the pinion; while the resistance of gear 11 tends to force the pinion in an opposite direction. Consequently, it will be seen that the actions of gears 9 and ll balance each other, and maintain pinion 10 in a definite position with no distortional strains thereon.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a gear arrangement which enables the raising or lowering of the upper spindle of a die roll unit through a wide range without requiring changing of the gears or aifecting the meshing of the gears.

Also, regardless of the load, there will be no tendency of the pinion to become disengaged from the adjacent gears, for the action of the gears on the pinion is equal and opposite at all times. The balanced effect of the intermediate gear and gear 9 on the pinion is such as to maintain the gears properly in mesh independently of the links 15 and 16.

The foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive and illustrative only, and not as restrictive or limitative of the invention, of which obviously an embodiment may be constructed ineluding many modifications without departing from the general scope herein indicated and denoted in the appended claims.

Having thus described by invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: I

1. In a metal forming machine, a die roll unit comprising an upper spindle and a lower spindle, said spindles being at all times parallel and'in the same vertical plane, gears mounted on said spindles, a pinion directly driving the gear on the lower spindle, an intermediate gear meshing with the pinion and with the gear on the upper spindle, a shaft which. is adjustable to various positions at all times parallel to the upper spindle, said intermediate gear being mounted on the shaft, and links pivotally connecting the shaft of the intermediate gear with the upper spindle and with the axis of rotation of the pinion, said pinion also directly driving the intermediate gear so that the forces acting on the pinion are balanced.

2. In a metal forming machine, a die roll unit comprising an upper spindle and a lower spindle, said spindles being at all times parallel and in the same vertical plane, gears mounted on said spindles, a pinion directly driving the gear on the lower spindle, an intermediate gear meshing with the pinion and with the gear on the upper spindle, a shaft which is adjustable to various positions at all times parallel to the upper spindle, said intermediate gear being mounted on the shaft, and means to maintain the distances between the center of the intermediate gear and the centers of the pinion and the gear on the upper spindle, said pinion also directly driving the intermediate gear so that the forces acting on the pinion are balanced.

3. In a metal forming machine, a die roll unit comprising an upper spindle and a lower spindle, said spindles being at all times parallel and in the same vertical plane, gears mounted on said spindles, a pinion directly driving the gear on the lower spindle, an intermediate meshing with the pinion and with the gear on the upper spindle, said intermediate gear being movable with the gear on the upper spindle when the upper spindle is raised or lowered, and means to maintain the distances between the center of the intermediate gear the centers of the pinion the gear on the spindle, said pinion also directly driving the intermediate gear so-that the forces acting on the pinion are balanced.

i. In a metal forming n'iachine, a die roll unit comprising an upper spindle and a lower spindle,

is raised or lowered, and means to maintain the gears and pinion fully in mesh in all positions of adjustment, said pinion also directly driving the intermediate gears so that the forces acting on the pinion are balanced.

5. In a metal forming machine, a die roll unit comprising a first spindle and a second-spindle, die rolls mounted on said spindles, said spindles being at all times parallel and in same vertical plane, gears mounted on said spin les, a pinion directly driving the gear on the first spindle, an intermediate gear meshi -g with the pinion and with the gear on the second spindle, said intermediate gear being movable with the gear on the second spindle when the second spindle is raised or lowered, and means to maintain the gea s and pinion fully in mesh in ail positions of adjustment, said pinion also directly driving the intermediate gear so that the forces acting on the pinion are balanced.

ALBERT RAFTER. 

